Calcification of the coronary arteries is a quite common characteristic finding at chest CT and is a recognized marker of coronary atherosclerosis. The number of chest CTs is growing annually including due to lung cancer screening. A lot of patients who performed chest CT examinations are eligible for calcium score screening. The purpose of this study was to compare the correlations between the gated and non-gated coronary artery calcium score (CACS) values obtained with standard and with low-dose chest CT. The difference in patients' radiation...

The study included 425 patients who for the period of November 2017 and June 2018 underwent non-gated chest CT and gated calcium scoring CT. Patients with a history of coronary revascularization or with pacemakers were excluded from the study. ECG-gated cardiac CT for CACS was performed with every eligible patient. CACS was calculated using conventional methods/scores (Agatston, Volume, Mass). Differences and correlations between gated and non-gated CACS values as well as correlation coefficients of standard-dose and low-dose CT groups were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed...

The study comprised 398 patients. The standard CT protocol was used in 202 cases, and the low-dose one in 196 cases. The value of CACS=0 was found in 109 patients (27%). The mean Agatston values of CACS were 395 ± 583 for gated CACS and 384 ± 602 for non-gated CACS (p=0.41). The correlation between CACS obtained with gated and non-gated CT was high even when "zero" values of CACS were excluded (Agatston: r = 0.975; Volume: r = 0.977; Mass: r = 0.976) (Fig....

The study shows that the calcium score obtained from non-gated standard-dose or low-dose chest CTs is comparable to gated calcium score with a high advantage in low-dose CT in terms of patients radiation dose. These results could be used for combined screening of lung cancer and coronary atherosclerosis.

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